Metal cover for tanks



May15,1923. 1,455,582

. W. W. FORD I METAL COVER FOR TANKS Filed April 17. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet May 15, 1923. 1,455,582

- w. w. FORD METAL COVER FOR TANKS Filed'April 17. 1922 a Sheets-Sheet W. W. FORD I MEf IAL COVER FOR TANKS Filed April 17.

1922 3 Sheets-Shut 5 mil/0K T l zlza jn 7%4 Patented May 15, 1923.

UNITED s'r WILLIAM W. roan, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVA IA.

METAL oovna role TANKS.

Application filed April 17, 1922. Serial No: 553,843.

towers or the crude roofs of buildings, and

has for its object to provide a combination of structural elements so arranged as to protect the different fastening devices from the severe'actions of the natural elements.

Another object of the invention is toprovidea metal cover that may be readily applied'to tanks already in use and when in place cannot be dislodged by ordinary high winds.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with such acover an indicator or signal that will indicate approximately the height of the water in the tank to a certain extent.

A further object' of the invention is to construct a cover comprising a central tubular king post having a collar threaded on its upper end to which are connected radiating T-irons between which are secured segments of sheet metalunderlying-the flanges forming the arms of the T, a frusto-conical hood overlying the upper ends of the T- irons and segmental plates, said hood being held in place by a. nut threaded on the king post and the whole surmounted by a cap.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a unique construction of trap door for such va cover. 1

lVith these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by th claims. In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains. may understand how to make and use the same,'I will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which Fig. 1, is a plan view of a cover constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig.6, is aplan Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional viewjthereof showing its arrangement in conjunctionwith a-tanka I I Fig' 3, is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of the cover in the region ofits apex' I ighis a viewsimilar to Fig-91in the region ofthe eavesp.

Fig. 5, is a detail sectionalview ofthe constructionand mounting of the trap d om collar. I l ig. .7 is a bo-ttomview'of'the cap surmounting theking post. Y Fig. -8- is a vertical sectional view of said Cap a View f' the perforated 7 Fig. 9, is an enlarged detailsectional view of one of the'T-iron ribsa'nd adjacent segmental plates illustrating -:the mannerfi'of securing the parts together.

In carrying out my inventlon ashere em bodied, 2 represents a tank of any suitable or well-known construction and made of w0od,,metal or' any other suitable'material the free end of which is-covered by a top 3 disposed across the upper edgeand preferably fluSh withthe outer surface of'the side walls and said topis generally supported by a beam 4 suitably sidewalls of thetank. 'Fastened tothe top 3 centrally thereof j tance abovethe top 3 to provide aproper pitch for the cover. The upper end of the king .post is exteriorally threaded as in .sllpporte t y.

is a pipe flange-5- to' which-is attached the tubular king post 6 rising any desirable dis dicated at 7 whereby a collar 8 may be, mounted thereon by threadedengagement I therewith and this collar is provided with a plurality of perforations 9 arranged in a circle adjacent the outer circumference.

The reference numeral 10 denotes: a plu-- rali'tyvof'T-irons-each of which has a pore tion of'its body flange cut away at its upper endand the arm flanges reduced and bent to prod-uce a hook 11 for insertion in the perforations 9 of the collar 10 andwhen the upper hooked ends of said T-ironsf are con nected to the collar the form radiating supporting ribs with then" lowerends resting. upon the tank top 3 but projecting beyond the "circumference of said top 'orrthe' side walls of the tank. In order to providea close lit between the cover and; the tank" ,top and eliminate any? space between these parts,

i of the T-irons.

line of an acute triangle.

as far as possible the said tank top 3 is grooved as at 11 to receive the body flanges Between the T-i'ron ribs are located the segmental plates 12 having the general out- The side edges of these plates are bent inwardly at right angles to form flanges 13 which abut the body flanges of the T-iron ribs and with the adjacent edges. of the plates underlying the arm flanges of said-:T-irons and said plates are attached to the T-iron ribs by suitable fasteningdevices 14:, such as rivets, bolts and nuts o'rtheir equivalent.

To the outer or lower ends of certain of said T-iron ribs, every other one or all of them; are secured brackets 15. said brackets also being fastened to the side walls of the tank by suitable fastening means 16. One of the arms of each of'these brackets is secured to the body flange of a. T-iron as plainly shown in a so that the fastening means forthe brackets do not. pass through the top of .the cover and llke the fastening devices for the segmental plates are protected from the weather.

, On the upper end of the king post 6 is loosely mounted a frusto-conical hood 17 which forms the apex of the cover and bridges the space between the upper ends of the T-iron'ribs and segmental plates so as to close this opening space and 'protectthe connections between the different parts. This hood is held in place by anut 18 threaded on the upper end of the king post and when said nutis jambed home the hood will'be held in contact with the upper ends of the ribs'and plates thereby preventing the accidental displacement thereof The king post is surmounted by the frustoconical cap 19 having a sleeve 20 snugly fitting the bore of the king post and telescoping therein the said cap having a hole 21 for-the purpose to be later described. By eliminating the hole 21 the king post will be closed so as to prevent rain, snow or any foreign matter entering the same.-

In order to indicate the heighth of the waterwithin the tank a rod 22 is mounted in the king post with one end projecting through thehole 21 in the cap 19 and the other end passing through thetop 3 and beam 4'. 0n the lower end of the rod is mounted a float 23 while the upper end carries any suitable ornamentation such as a ball 24. If found desirable a weather vane journalled on the rod 22 above '27 to each of which is secured an'angle iron 28 by suitable fastening devices 29, such as rivets and one of the flanges of each of these angle irons projects inward and underlies the outwardlyprojecting flange of the angle iron frame 30 which frame is preferably rectangular in shape and fits within a hole formed in one of the segmental plates 12,

the edges of said plate in the region of said hole being bent inward towform the'inturned flanges 31 which are secured to the substantially vertical flanges of the frame by suitable fastening devices 82,'such as rivets or their equivalent; Such a construction will. permit the trap door to slide back and frame 30 to stop the trap door in-either an.

open or closed position.

By constructing a metal coverin this manner all joints areso covered that any water will be shed therefrom and as practically all of the fastening devices arebeneath or inside of'the' cover they are protected from the weather and therefore will not readily rust'so that the life of such a cover will be greatly increased; Furtherall' of the parts are so arranged that it will be practically impossible for high winds to lift the same from its fastenings.

With an indicator'su ch as is herein illus- Of course I do not wish: to be limited'to v the exact details of construction as herein shown as these ,may be varied within the,

limits of the appendedclaims without departing from" the spirit of my invention. Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as newandnseful is 2 1. A metal covering comprising 'incornbination, a king post, a'perforated collar having threaded connection with said kingpost, ribs of T-iron having'hooked inner ends connected with said collar through the medium of the hooks entering the perforations thereof, plates located between said ribs and underlying the oppositely projecting arm flanges of said'ribs, said plates having their side edges bent inwardly to form flanges coacting with the body flanges of the ribs, means for fastening said plates to.

said ribs, a frusto-conical hood loosely. mounted upon the king post and overlying the upper ends of the ribs and plates, means for threaded connection with the king post toengage the hood andthereby hold said mounted on the parts together, and a cap upper end of the king post.

2. A metal cover comprlsing in combination, a king post, a perforated collar having threaded" connection with said king post,

ribs of T-iron having hooked inner ends connected with saidcollar through the medium of the hooks entering the perforations thereof, plates located between said ribs and underlying the oppositely projecting arm flanges of said ribs, said plates having their side edges bent inwardly to form flanges coacting with the body flanges of the ribs, means for fastening said plates to said ribs, a frusto-conical hood loosely mounted upon the king post and overlying the upper ends of the ribs and plates, means for threaded connection with the kingpost to engage the hood and thereby hold said parts together, a cap mounted on the upper end of the king post, one of said plates having a hole therein with portions of the metal surrounding said hole bent inward to form flanges, a frame of angular cross section mounted within said hole so that its outer flange is spaced from the outer face of the plate, means for fastening said frame to the plate flanges, a trap door having inturned flanges, angle irons fastened to said flanges inside of the same, said angle irons having one of their flanges projecting inwardly and underlying the outer flanges of the frame whereby the trap door is slidably mounted on said frame, and a handle secured to the inside of the trap door whereby said door may be actuated, the said handle also coir tacting with the frame when the door is in certain positions to thus limit the movements of said door.

3. In a device of the character stated, the combination with a tank of'a metal cover consisting of a tubular king post carrying a flange at its lower end for securement to the top of the tank, a perforated collar having threaded connection with the upper end of the king post, ribs of T-cross section hav ing hooks formed from their upperends to register with the perforations in the collar, said ribs radiating from said collar and inclined therefrom to a point beyond the outer edge of the tank, segmental plates secured to the body flange of the ribs and underlying the arm flanges thereof, brackets secured to the body flanges ofcertain of said ribs and underlying said segmental plates and u b c scoping therein.

4. In a device of the character stated, the

combination with a tank of a "metal-cover consisting of a tubularking post carrying a flange at its lower end for securementto the top of the tank, a perforated collar having threaded connection with the upper end of choking post, ribs 'of T-cross section having hooks formed from their upper ends to register with the perforations in the collar,

post and having a sleeve telesaid ribs radiating from said collar and inclined-therefrom to a point beyond the outer edge of the tank, segmental plates secured to the body flange of the ribs and underlying the arm flanges thereof, brackets secured to the body flanges of, certain of said ribs and underlying said segmental plates and further fastened tothe sidewalls of the tank, a hood on the king post and over.- lying the upper ends of the ribs and plates, means for holding said-hood in place and through the medium of said hood the ribs on the collar, a frusto-conical cap at thetop of the king post andhaving a sleeve telescoping therein, a rod having vertical movement passing through the king post, the cap thereon and the cover of the tank, a float carried by the lower end of said rod, and an ornamental device carried bythe upper end of said rod, said rod acting as an indicating device to indicate the approximate level ofthe water within' the'tank.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature. i

t a WILLIAM W. FORD. 

